IIHS Finds Most Vehicle Headlights Leave Much To Be Desired

Study Finds Most Vehicle Headlights Leave Much To Be Desired

A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released on March 30, 2016 reveals serious deficiencies in most vehicle headlights. Of 32 vehicles equipped with a total of 82 headlight configurations, only one, the Toyota Prius v, earned a “good” rating.

Even that rating applies to the Prius v equipped with LED lights and high-beam assist. Those headlights however are only available with the advanced technology package, which can only be purchased with the highest trim level. When equipped with regular halogen lights and without high-beam assist, the Prius v earns a “poor” rating.

This is the first time IIHS has released ratings for headlights. According to the IIHS report, recent advancements in headlight technology make this a good time to begin focusing on the issue. Many vehicle manufacturers are replacing halogen headlamps with high-intensity discharge (HID) or LED lamps. Headlights that swivel with steering input, called “curve-adaptive” are also becoming widespread.

“If you’re having trouble seeing behind the wheel at night, it could very well be your headlights and not your eyes that are to blame,” says David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer.

The ability to see the road ahead, along with any pedestrians, bicyclists or obstacles, is an obvious essential for drivers. According to the IIHS however, government standards for headlights, based on laboratory tests, allow huge variation in the amount of illumination that headlights provide in actual on-road driving. With about half of traffic deaths occurring either in the dark or in dawn or dusk conditions, improved headlights have the potential to bring about substantial reductions in fatalities.

Vehicle cost is no indication of headlight effectiveness. Many luxury makes including the Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3-Series earned “poor” or “marginal” ratings. Here is a list of the best available headlight rating for each vehicle tested. Note that these results reflect the best rated headlight option available for each model:

GOOD

• Toyota Prius v

ACCEPTABLE

• Audi A3
• Honda Accord 4-door
• Infiniti Q50
• Lexus ES
• Lexus IS
• Mazda 6
• Nissan Maxima
• Subaru Outback
• (built after Nov. 2015)
• Volkswagen CC
• Volkswagen Jetta
• Volvo S60

MARGINAL

• Acura TLX
• Audi A4
• BMW 2 series
• BMW 3 series
• Chrysler 200
• Ford Fusion
• Lincoln MKZ
• Subaru Legacy
• Toyota Camry

POOR

• Buick Verano
• Cadillac ATS
• Chevrolet Malibu
• Chevrolet Malibu Limited
• (fleet model)
• Hyundai Sonata
• Kia Optima
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Mercedes-Benz CLA
• Nissan Altima
• Volkswagen Passat

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